1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mailboxes and more particularly pertains to a new mailbox apparatus for preventing the flag member from falling down and also notifying the user of delivered mail.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of mailboxes is known in the prior art. More specifically, mailboxes heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,264; U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,514; U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,581; U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,479; U.S. Pat. No. 4,163.225; and U.S. Pat. No. Des.335.747.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new mailbox apparatus. The inventive device includes a mailbox assembly including a box having an open front end, and also includes a door being hingedly attached to the box and being closable over the open front end, and further includes a tubular support member upon which the box is mounted; and also includes a flag Support assembly being mounted to the mailbox assembly and including a housing being attached to the box, and also including a flag support arm being movably disposed in the housing, and further including a spring member being disposed in the housing and biasing the flag support arm; and further includes a flag member being pivotally attached to the housing and having a bottom end which is in contactable relationship to the flag support arm; and also includes a mail delivery signaling assembly including a switch member being disposed in the housing and being in contactable relationship to the flag support arm, and also including a light-emitting member being connected to the switch member with wires, and further including a pressure sensitive sensor being disposed in the box and being connected to the light-emitting member, and also including a power source being connected to the switch member, to the light-emitting member, and to the pressure sensitive sensor.
In these respects, the mailbox apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing the flag member from falling down and also notifying the user of delivered mail.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of mailboxes now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new mailbox apparatus construction wherein the same can be utilized for preventing the flag member from falling down and also notifying the user of delivered mail.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new mailbox apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the mailboxes mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new mailbox apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mailboxes, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a mailbox assembly including a box having an open front end, and also includes a door being hingedly attached to the box and being closable over the open front end, and further includes a tubular support member upon which the box is mounted; and also includes a flag support assembly being mounted to the mailbox assembly and including a housing being attached to the box, and also including a flag support arm being movably disposed in the housing, and further including a spring member being disposed in the housing and biasing the flag support arm; and further includes a flag member being pivotally attached to the housing and having a bottom end which is in contactable relationship to the flag support arm; and also includes a mail delivery signaling assembly including a switch member being disposed in the housing and being in contactable relationship to the flag support arm, and also including a light-emitting member being connected to the switch member with wires, and further including a pressure sensitive sensor being disposed in the box and being connected to the light-emitting member, and also including a power source being connected to the switch member, to the light-emitting member, and to the pressure sensitive sensor.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As Such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new mailbox apparatus apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the mailboxes mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new mailbox apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art mailboxes, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new mailbox apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new mailbox apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new mailbox apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such mailbox apparatus economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new mailbox apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new mailbox apparatus for preventing the flag member from falling down and also notifying the user of delivered mail.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new mailbox apparatus which includes a mailbox assembly including a box having an open front end, and also includes a door being hingedly attached to the box and being closable over the open front end, and further includes a tubular support member upon which the box is mounted; and also includes a flag support assembly being mounted to the mailbox assembly and including a housing being attached to the box, and also including a flag support arm being movably disposed in the housing, and further including a spring member being disposed in the housing and biasing the flag support arm; and further includes a flag member being pivotally attached to the housing and having a bottom end which is in contactable relationship to the flag support arm; and also includes a mail delivery signaling assembly including a switch member being disposed in the housing and being in contactable relationship to the flag support arm, and also including a light-emitting member being connected to the switch member with wires, and further including a pressure sensitive sensor being disposed in the box and being connected to the light-emitting member, and also including a power source being connected to the switch member, to the light-emitting member, and to the pressure sensitive sensor.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new mailbox apparatus that is easy and convenient to set up and use.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new mailbox apparatus that keeps the flag member in an upright position until the mailperson opens the door to the box upon which the flag member automatically lowers.